FSU football: Has FSU administration really botched coaching search?

FSU football is still without a head football coach after firing Willie Taggart over a month ago. Has the FSU administration botched the search?

FSU football fans are either very frustrated with how this coaching search has gone or just simply ready for the hire to be made regardless of who it is it seems.

I wrote shortly after the firing of Willie Taggart that FSU needed to make a splash hire under the circumstances.

They had just gotten blown out by a terrible Miami team and would likely get blown out by rival Florida in a couple of weeks.

The latter happened, but most FSU fans thought that loss would be mitigated with the announcement of FSU’s new head coach a couple of days after that game.

After all, FSU Athletic Director David Coburn said they had a plan in place to have the new coach hired by the end of November.

That was probably a mistake to put that timeline out there since most folk will take things literally. However, he we are almost a week into December and we still don’t know when the announcement of a hire will take place.

Most folk believe it will be Memphis head coach Mike Norvell since his name’s been in the mix the whole time, and he’s playing a conference championship game Saturday afternoon.

If indeed it’s Norvell as the new hire it’s fair to ask if the FSU administration has botched this coaching search?

After all, I did say I thought they needed a splash hire under the circumstances of them asking for more money from boosters and momentum on the recruiting trails, etc.

I don’t think Norvell would be considered a splash hire in terms of name recognition and getting folk excited to donate money to the program.

However, I don’t feel we’ve gone the Tennessee route where folk have just openly said they didn’t want the job.

Moreover, I think it’s a case of FSU football being in the unique position of not having many options that would make a splash hire.

They were right to try to get Bob Stoops, but Stoops isn’t coming back to coach college football for anyone apparently. At least they tried right?

Penn State head coach James Franklin is who I thought would be the best option and a splash hire. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly probably would have made some waves as he’s a proven commodity.

However, once you get past those three coaches it’s pretty much slim pickings in terms of getting a “name” coach.

I don’t think they botched it if they hire Mike Norvell. Would I have rather had James Franklin?

Absolutely.

Sometimes you’re only as good as the options provided and that seems to be the case here and it’s not like Norvell’s name hasn’t been in the mix the entire time if he is indeed the hire.